Star Wars: Young Jedi
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: A make-believe version of the possible future TV show, *Star Wars: Young Jedi.* Parable-style mini-episodes about Katooni, Petro, Ganodi, Byph, Gungi, and Zatt going on adventures around the galaxy, and learning new lessons and morals along the way. Intended to be kid-friendly. I own nothing but this fanfic.
1. Overconfident Day

**Episode 1**

**Overconfident Day**

"_Overconfidence taints confidence, and leads to possible disaster."_

* * *

Katooni was looking forward to her first mission as a Padawan. She had been assigned to Master Stass Allie for the time being, and they were on a mission on Saleucami, looking for a Separatist base that had been set up in the dry, volcanic mountains, far from the wetlands. Petro was with her, and he was presently under the wing of Master Thongla Jur. Both kids were very proud of being the youngest successful Jedi Initiates in the history of the Jedi Order, as were their alien youngling friends who were elsewhere in the galaxy.

Stass and Thongla, along with their troops, had found a passageway through one inactive volcano, and their clone commander sent five droid seekers down it to search the area. A little while later, three of the seekers returned and reported a Separatist presence down there. Apparently, however, they had been discovered, because two of the seekers did not return.

"It looks like we're going to have to act now instead of planning out a complex strategy," observed Thongla. "The battle droids are probably on to us already."

"I agree," said Stass. The Tholothian woman turned to the Tholothian girl and said, "Katooni, I want you to guard this end of the passageway from anything that might follow us. I will order a detachment of troops stay with you to assist you."

"What? Do I have to, Master Allie?" said Katooni. "If I could handle the challenges of the Crystal Cave, Hondo's pirates, _and_ General Grievous' troops, I'm sure I can help you take out those droids. Let me go with you!"

"What did I just say, young lady?" said Stass firmly. "I know you're a capable Padawan, but this battle will almost certainly be bigger than those battles were. Don't let your confidence become overconfidence. Stay here, and keep a clear head."

"But Master-"

"No buts, Padawan!"

Katooni was disappointed. "Yes, Master."

"And Petro, you stay too, and help her defend this area," said Thongla. "I don't want you getting any ideas either, understood?"

"Yes, Master," said Petro politely, though he, too, seemed disappointed.

And with that, Stass, Thongla, and the bulk of their troops went down the passage.

* * *

For a little while, Katooni and Petro guarded the opening in silence.

"This is silly!" said Katooni suddenly. "I can help them anytime. I'm sure I can help win the day down there. I'm going!"

"Katooni," said Petro, "don't do it. You'll get yourself in trouble, or killed. Our Masters give us admonishments for a reason, you know."

"This from the boy who's always eager to get out there and kill General Grievous?" she scoffed. "You still have a ways to go in learning lessons, Petro, but I know I can take care of myself. See you when I get back." She took off down the tunnel.

"Katooni, NO!" yelled Petro.

A clone trooper said, "Shall I contact the Generals and tell them Commander Katooni abandoned her post?"

"Please do," said Petro. "I don't want to interrupt an important battle, but even I think Katooni's safety is more important than victory."

It looked like some of the clones disagreed with him, but the clone who spoke up made the call anyway.

_Be safe, Katooni,_ thought Petro.

* * *

Katooni was running down the passage, eager to get to the action before she could miss it. _I can do this,_ she thought to herself. _I can do it!_

But suddenly, she was ambushed by a squad of battle droids. She ignited her blue lightsaber and cut them down with relative ease, until they stopped coming. Next came three super battle droids, followed by three more. One shot narrowly missed her when she stopped to brush something out of her eye. She tried not to panic and cut them down gradually, too.

But then, the real danger came. Three droidekas rolled down from somewhere whence she had come, activated their personal shields, and opened fire. She sliced at one of the shields with her lightsaber, but it wouldn't cut through. She forgot that lightsabers couldn't penetrate a droideka's shield easily. They closed in on her, and not knowing what else to do, she hunkered behind a rock, hoping to think of an idea on how to fight the destroyer droids.

But they just kept on firing, and try as she might, she couldn't improvise on her original ideas. She also forgot that Master Yoda always said, "Do or do not. There is no try." It seemed the rollies never ran out of juice. Now she was afraid, because she couldn't leave her spot, and the rock was starting to break up, bringing her closer to the laser bolts again. "What was I thinking?" she said to herself. "Help! Somebody help me, please!" She knew it was foolish to scream at a time like this, but she didn't know what else to do. The heat and noise was quite terrific. She huddled further back, crying, and waited for the end.

* * *

But the end didn't come, at least not then.

Suddenly, there was the sound of heavy blaster fire. When it passed, she looked up. The droidekas were destroyed. And Masters Allie and Jur were there with their own energy blades lit.

"Oh, thank you, Master Allie!" said Katooni, hugging her, "I knew someone would come for me."

Stass looked more than a little disapproving. "And I should have known that you would disobey orders. But then again, you weren't the type to do that in training. Katooni, you almost got yourself killed! And my having to double back to save you almost jeopardized the entire mission!"

"I know, Master," said Katooni, hanging her head, "I'm so sorry. I guess I _was_ overconfident, after all."

"Well, it's just good that you're safe and sound, little one," said Thongla. "And the mission _was_ a success, for the most part, though a dangerous Separatist commander got away."

"Let's go back up the passage," said Stass, "and see if Petro is all right."

When they got back, Petro and the other troops were doing just fine. Katooni hugged Petro in gratitude after she heard that he had called the Masters to check on her.

"Still doing well as a selfless Jedi student, I see," said Thongla to Petro.

"I suppose so, Master," said Petro. "Katooni, do you feel any better?"

"Yeah, I do, Petro," Katooni said with a smile. "I guess I got carried away with my confidence. I'll never do that again, I swear."

"That's good to hear, young Jedi," complimented Stass.

Katooni smiled back. Indeed, she almost beamed.

* * *

"_All people must have confidence, including self-confidence. But if you let that confidence become too great, it becomes overconfidence, and it can get you into deep trouble, perhaps even lose your own life. Always know your limits."_


	2. The Source of Life

**Episode 2**

**The Source of Life**

"_Trees and flowers are part of life, and must be nurtured."_

* * *

It was a quiet, peaceful day within the Jedi Temple as Master Yoda led Byph and his little Jedi friends into the temple gardens and over to the agricultural center.

Numerous members of the Jedi AgriCorps, young and old alike, were working on plants of all kinds. Some were tending to a variety of crops, while others were painstakingly trimming trees and flowers. It was quite a beautiful sight for the kids to look at. Even Zatt, who usually preferred to tinker with technology, found them to be very attractive.

"Hmm, a beautiful place, these gardens are," said Yoda. "Agree with me, would you not, young Jedi?"

"It's very nice, Master Yoda," agreed Katooni.

"It may not be a place where we can see action," said Petro, "but I like it anyway."

Byph said something very complimentary about the whole garden. Gungi agreed.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, guys," said Zatt. "This is one of the finest gardens in the Temple, possibly even in the whole galaxy."

"I don't see what the big deal is, guys," said a skeptical Ganodi. "They're just plants. Plants don't do anything; they just grow until they die."

"Do they now, young Ganodi?" remarked Yoda. "Very important to existence, all plants are. Not only do they provide air and food for living beings to survive on, but a part of the Living Force, they are as well. Create the Force and make it grow, they do, just as much as sentient and non-sentient creatures. Without plants, lifeless the galaxy would be."

"Yes, I know that plants keep us alive, Master Yoda," said Ganodi, "But still, they don't talk, they don't growl or whimper, they don't even move much. Sentients are active, and animals are active, but plants just stand there like statues. Here, let me show you," she said, and suddenly stepped forward and started to pull up some of the plants, slapping them with the backs of her hands.

"See, Master?" she said, "They don't feel any pain, and they don't react when you pull them up. Why should we have to go out of our way to protect life that doesn't 'live?'"

Yoda jabbed at her with his gimer stick. "Tolerate abuse of the temple's plants, I will not! Drop the poor things! Back off, youngling!"

Ganodi stared in disbelief at Yoda, then at her friends, too, when she saw that they were looking pointedly at her. "Hey, I was just proving a point; what's the big deal?"

Byph said, in Ithorese, "That is very un-Jedi-like behavior, Ganodi, and you know it. Master Yoda is right. As an Ithorian, I'm as sure of this as he is. Plants are equally as sacred life forms as any animal, droid, human, or alien, and my kind respect them with all our hearts. They bring energy to the Force, giving it more strength to surround and bind all life together. And perhaps it didn't occur to you before, but plants, like trees and flowers, make so many of the planets in the galaxy a beautiful place to live. There would be a lot less natural beauty and color in the universe if plants ceased to exist, and the Ithorians, like me, want to show that to everyone who lives, if we can, so that maybe one day, all creatures will love Mother Jungle."

Ganodi looked like she was starting to feel a little ashamed of herself as she lowered her head. "Maybe you're right," she said, downcast. "I'm sorry, Master Yoda."

But Yoda said, "Learned only part of a lesson, you have so far, young Ganodi. And not to me, you must apologize, but to young Byph here, for what you did to those plants, an insult to him and his people it was. But, a way to redeem yourself in the eyes of the Force, I believe there is."

He gestured to Byph and said, "Work with Byph to restore the plants you tore up, you will. Teach you how the Law of Life sustains living things, he will. Then, perhaps, learn your lesson, you will."

"Do I have to, Master?" asked Ganodi, a little sad to be forced to do a mundane task.

"Yes," confirmed Yoda.

"All right," she said, as Yoda led the other four younglings to look at other parts of the gardens, "Come on, Byph, show me how it's done."

* * *

For the better part of an hour, Byph assisted Ganodi with preparing some new plants to replace the ones she had killed. She couldn't help noticing that there were two plants for every one she had killed. Byph explained that this was the Ithorian Law of Life, how every life form that is killed for any reason must be replaced twofold, to preserve the abundance of those living things. He also told her about how the Ithorians sometimes used private cloning technology to replace the deceased.

Eventually, they were finished, and they stood back to look at their work.

"It should take a few days for these flowers to begin to grow out," said Byph.

Yoda returned with the others and asked Ganodi if she had learned anything yet.

"I think I have, Master," she said. "Byph had some very interesting things to say about how his people protect life. But I think I might learn more when these plants grow up a little. It's harder to say how I feel when they're just seedlings in the dirt."

"Then come back here, we shall, in one week's time," said Yoda, and they left the gardens to learn other Jedi lessons.

_One week later…_

Yoda brought Byph and Ganodi back to the garden to check out their handiwork. They looked, and twice as many beautiful flowers of several varieties were growing up rapidly, more rapidly than the children had expected.

Ganodi looked on in wonder and said, "Wow! If flowers can fully grow that quickly, then they _must_ be connected to the Force! The Force does flow through the plants as much as through the animals and people. It flows through everything!"

"I agree," said Byph. "So, friend, have you changed your mind yet about the usefulness of flora?"

"I sure have, Byph!" said Ganodi happily. "Thanks for showing me all of that stuff!"

Ganodi and Byph hugged. Yoda smiled.

"Learned your lesson now, I believe you have, Ganodi," he said.

"Yeah," she said, "The galaxy really does need more life like this, and I hope Byph can help me learn a little more about how to care for it soon."

"Perhaps he will," said Yoda, "Although the teachers of the AgriCorps have more experience in this, and teach you better than young Byph at this point, I think they can."

"Fine with me," said Ganodi.

"I say that, too," said Byph, "though I'd still like to help out the AgriCorps teachers."

"Arranged, that can be," said Yoda.

Byph and Ganodi grinned at each other in triumph.

* * *

"_Plants of all types, shapes, and sizes are a vital part of the world's ecosystem, sustaining and preserving life as well as bringing beauty and a feeling of good health to the earth, so take care not to lose or abuse it."_


	3. Diversity is Blessed

**Episode 3**

**Diversity is Blessed**

"_Racial tensions build mistrust that lead to hate."_

* * *

It was not one of the better days for the Jedi Order. A rally was taking place outside the Senate building, a COMPOR rally, and it consisted entirely of humans. They were waving flags and banners showing the new six-spoke version of the Republic's emblem, and carrying signs that said things like, "Go back to the Outer Rim, animal scum!" and "Down with aliens!" and other things like that, and they were chanting and yelling the same message in their own words at the same time.

Most of the time, only the Jedi Council and some of their advisors witnessed such events, though sometimes, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano saw these rallies, too. Today, however, the young Jedi could see what was happening out there from a platform on the Temple, and it made them so uneasy that they didn't dare come too close.

"How can those people possibly put down aliens like that?" asked Katooni.

"I agree," said Petro, "Aliens are just as responsible for moving galactic society along as humans are. Look at the Duros, they were apparently spacefarers before even humans were."

"Yeah," said Zatt, "And what about the Wookiees? They can make all kinds of things humans could never dream of making."

Gungi voiced his agreement.

"I don't know about you guys," said Ganodi, "but those people make me nervous. I'm a Rodian, and the Rodians have been looked down on by humans more than most common races have been, just because of our culture of romanticizing violence."

"Oh, come on, Ganodi," said Petro confidently, "You're a Jedi, like the rest of us. As long as we have our Masters to protect us, they can't lay a hand on us."

Byph was the only one of them who was silent to this point. A moment later, though, he said, "This really hurts. I've seen enough. Let's go and find something else to do."

The others agreed to this, and they returned to their classes.

* * *

During the night, Byph had a Force dream. In the dream, he saw two visions of the future. The first one showed a future where the humans of Coruscant were gathering at rallies for another organization called COMPNOR, having to do with the preservation of a New Order of some kind. Aliens were segregated into lower, dirtier levels of the planet, away from the humans, and they were feared, scorned, and shunned by every one of them. On other planets inhabited by aliens, human military governors were controlling the planets with iron fists, and the aliens themselves were enslaved and treated like animals. He also saw a high ranking human governor talking about how superior humans were to aliens, and even a man in red clothes who looked like an advisor to the Supreme Chancellor, who hatefully stated that all aliens were "animal waste."

Needless to say, the vision disturbed Byph even in his sleep, because it was such an intense image of prejudice and scorn. But then, he saw the other vision. Years after this regime would be defeated, a Twi'lek woman would found an organization called the Diversity Alliance, which seemed to be a pro-alien movement meant to heal the wounds inflicted by the Republic's COMPNOR allies. In actuality, it was a violent terrorist organization bent on annihilating the human race in vengeance for COMPNOR's crimes, and the vision didn't show whether they succeeded or not.

In the morning, Byph awoke and wondered about the visions. Obviously, somebody was scheming to elevate humans and set aliens up for a fall, which would be followed by a violent alien retaliation sometime in the future. He wanted to do something about it, but he wasn't sure what. He decided to meditate on the Force and ask for an answer there.

The meditation took a little while, but eventually, he was struck with an idea. He came out of his trance and hurried to carry it out.

He went to the Temple gardens, where he found Master Yoda feeding his pet kybuck. "Master Yoda," he said, bowing.

"Young Byph," said Yoda, "Why are you in here? In class, you should be."

"I know, Master," replied Byph, "I apologize, but I had two disturbing visions in my dreams last night. They told of a future where the Republic will become a government promoting the superiority of humans and the inferiority of aliens, and of an alien terrorist group attempting to get revenge on humanity in the future sometime."

"Prejudice among humans and aliens?" mused Yoda. "Hmm, heard about the bad feelings many Coruscant humans have for non-humans, I have. Unwilling to look into alien eyes, they are; hating alien languages, they are, as well. Even alien cultures are looked on as repulsive to narrow-minded humans. And aware, I am, of the way many aliens cannot tolerate the intolerance of humanity. Interesting that the Force would reveal this to you, young Byph. Are you in the gardens to do something about it, hmm? Have an idea to help fight the prejudice, do you? Want to alter the future that is always in motion, do you?"

"Well, Master," started Byph, "there _is_ something I'd like to do, but I'll need the help of my fellow younglings to get it done. I am one of the most familiar of the young Padawans with plants and botany, and I wish for my friends and I to use the Force to create and grow a Martin tree to display in the courtyard outside the Senate Rotunda."

"A Martin tree?" said an impressed Yoda. "Requires much control of the Force to grow quickly, that does. Understand why you want the help of the other young Jedi to make it, I do. But why a Martin tree, may I ask, hmm?" His eyes twinkled slightly as if he already knew what was on Byph's mind, which he probably did.

"It's one of the most exotic and colorful trees in the known galaxy, Master. It's also very rare. I felt that the colors of the tree and the shapes of the leaves and branches could represent the races and species of the galaxy living together in peace and harmony. And no two of a Martin tree's branches or leaves move alike when the plant grows or is blown in the wind, standing for diversity. Even the humans of Coruscant are usually familiar with the tree, and after someone tells them what it stands for, I'm sure that it can encourage people to give aliens a chance," said Byph.

"Hmm," said Yoda, "See the wisdom in this suggestion, I can. Wise beyond your years, you are, Byph. Call Master Sinube and the rest of your clan with the Force, I will."

Yoda sent out his command to said people, and soon, Master Tera Sinube and the other five younglings entered the garden chamber. Byph and Master Yoda filled them in on the Ithorian's visions and his idea to do something about them.

"Well, I'll be," said Zatt. "Why didn't I think of that myself?"

"Maybe because Jedi are supposed to feel their ideas with their instincts, Zatt," suggested Katooni. "That's what Master Qui-Gon always said, from what I've heard Master Gallia tell me."

"Maybe," said Zatt.

"Come on, you guys," said Ganodi, "This should be fun! And think of what we'll be doing for people around the galaxy! It'll be better than leading any army."

"I agree with Ganodi's enthusiasm," said Petro, "Although I'm not so sure that leading an army is _that_ bad."

Gungi roared his own enthusiasm.

"Then start now, you will," said Yoda, gesturing for an AgriCorps member to bring over a Martin tree seedling.

* * *

So they took the seedling out to the Senate Rotunda's courtyard and planted it. Then, with assistance from Yoda and Tera Sinube, they opened their minds to the Force. The Force flowed through them as they concentrated, because a Jedi was always the mere conduit through which the Force did its work.

Every one of them contributed something diverse to the many-colored tree. Petro brought out its ordinary looking green branches and leaves, representing humans. Katooni made leaves of chalk-white, dark brown and olive green to stand for near-humans like Mirialans, Kiffar, Rattataki, and her own race, Tholothians. Zatt provided blue and yellow color and moist leaves for the galaxy's aquatic species, Ganodi made scaled leaves for reptilian species, Gungi made some thick branches, a thick trunk, and the brown-gray color of wood and bark to represent wild mammalian species like the Wookiees, and Byph grew soft, tasty parts of the tree to represent the peace and vegetarianism of the Ithorians, his species. Master Sinube helped them keep their feelings centered on the tree, and Yoda called on a great deal of Force strength to make the tree grow to am adequate size in time.

Finally, when it was grown big enough, Yoda put his hand on its trunk and seemed to be straining on meditating on the Force in a different way. After a moment, he stepped back and said, "Hallowed the tree, the Force has. From now on, defile this tree, cut off its beloved branches, and attempt to destroy the tree, no mortal shall be able to do without being severely punished by the will of the Force."

People suddenly started to walk into the courtyard, humans and aliens together. It looked like they were getting ready to feud over human superiority again, but then they saw the tree, and they started to murmur amongst each other, wondering why it was there and what two Jedi Masters and six Jedi children were there too.

"Is that a Martin tree?" asked a Mon Calamari.

"I've never seen one of them before," said a human woman in wonder.

"Why is it here, of all places?" wondered a Togruta.

"Is there a special reason it's been planted in this spot?" asked a Sullustan.

Tera Sinube turned toward the crowd and addressed them in a surprisingly loud and clear voice. "People of Coruscant," he said, "We are aware of your attitudes toward each other, of how you humans are growing to hate many aliens, and how you aliens want to retaliate against the humans. But just today, a compassionate young Jedi here," at this point he pointed at Byph, "has decided to plant here, in public view, a living monument of how the races and species of this galaxy must learn to get along and live in harmony. For this is indeed a Martin tree, a symbol of diversity and cultural pluralism, and it is being protected by the Force, so that none may destroy or defile it, especially not with evil intent. Byph, as the youngling is named, and his friends here, wish for this tree to be a reminder to you of how much we all need each other as equal galactic citizens, and to show how love is the answer to racial problems, not hate."

Byph stepped forward then and asked Katooni to translate what he was about to say. "Byph says that it is his sincerest hope and desire, as a brave but peace-loving Ithorian Jedi, that you will all take this advice and remember it every time you look on this tree. Without love, we can't hope to come out of this crisis with a feeling of _true_ peace, but only an uneasy _false_ peace where people live without external conflict, but where humans and aliens alike, discriminate against each other regularly."

The people looked at each other. There were a few suspenseful moments. Then, the humans disposed of their hate signs and started to offer apologies to the aliens standing near them. The aliens accepted the apologies, and some of them apologized back. Finally, they all turned back to the tree and the Jedi and started to applaud. Both of Byph's mouths smiled.

"Done something grand, you have today, young Byph," said Yoda with a smile. "Seen something like this happen in the Republic, I have not for almost two centuries."

"The Force may have presented the idea to me, Master," said Byph modestly, "but I believe it was a group effort. We should all be praised, not just me."

"But the Force presented it to you instead of to any of the rest of us," said Katooni. "It must have known something about you that made you the appropriate one to spark the growth of the Martin tree."

"Yeah," said Ganodi, "I'm still working on my ability to feel hope in tight situations; I couldn't have done it myself."

Gungi barked something that translated as, "Me neither."

"Oh, very well," said Byph. "You win. I'll accept the praise this time. But don't think that I'm going to give up my humility now. As a Jedi, arrogance doesn't become me."

"That's for sure," remarked Petro and Zatt.

And while laughing amiably, they went back to the Temple to catch up with their already delayed schedule, and the people moved on to other business.

* * *

"_The races of the world (or the galaxy) bring unique lifestyles, cultures, and customs to the world, but the rigidness and mistrust of one race and culture can cause bigotry between all races. So be open to anything other people have that you don't, whether you agree with it or not, and love one another as diverse neighbors."_

* * *

**A/N:** The Martin tree got its name from Martin Luther King, the great civil rights leader who wanted all races to come together in love and not hate.


	4. Stewards of the Animal Kingdom

**Episode 4**

**Stewards of the Animal Kingdom**

"_Animals deserve love and respect as much as people do."_

* * *

It was a warm, sunny day on the Bright Lands of Ryloth, but the heat didn't matter too much to Zatt and Gungi. Wookiees may wear a fur coat, but it could keep out heat as well as insulate it, and Nautolans are not as bothered by dry, arid conditions as many other aquatic species are. The boys were there as part of a mission to help clean up the remains of the Battle of Ryloth with Cham Syndulla and his freedom fighters. They were also there to show Gungi how to be patient when it came to the action of the Clone Wars.

"Boy, it can sure be hard to clean up a mess like this, can't it, Gungi?" remarked Zatt as they picked up some leftover battle droid debris.

Gungi growled his agreement with that remark.

"We're still glad that the Republic sent some people to help us repair the damage to our home instead of another occupying army," said Cham Syndulla, who stood nearby.

"Yeah," said Zatt, "It may not be battle, but I suppose we younglings have to learn our lessons before we see the real action of the universe."

"I have no doubt that children like you who experience the galaxy firsthand will understand what the people of galactic society go through," said Syndulla, "Perhaps you'll even change the galaxy someday, because I've heard about how you and your friends are such extraordinary young Jedi."

Just then, Tae Boon, Syndulla's main cavalry lieutenant, ran up to him in a panic. "Cham," he said in Twi'leki, "Something is wrong with my blurrg! It's out of control! Even I can't stop it. I need help!"

"I'll send for Gobi Glee at once," said Syndulla, "He is pretty good with calming mad blurrgs."

Suddenly, Gungi held up a hand and roared a Shyriiwook sentence.

Zatt interpreted, "Gungi says that he wants to try calming down your blurrg first, Mr. Boon. Wookiees have a way with animals, too, and he believes he can learn a little more about being patient if he does it."

The Twi'leks looked slightly uncertain, but indicated that the blurrg was his to calm down, and Boon pointed out the blurrg to him.

Gungi sent out a signal through the Force for the blurrg to come over to him, and the animal came over to him slowly. The young Wookiee communicated a feeling of respect and looked for the ailment that disturbed the beast. Apparently, there was a sharp stone stuck in its foot. Seeing that this was the only problem, Gungi sent a Force request for it to raise its foot carefully. The blurrg complied, and he could see the jagged stone sticking out of the foot. Continuing to calm the wild beast, he slowly reached under it to pull out the rock, and soon, he succeeded. The blurrg then seemed to be all right. It even nuzzled Gungi a little, as if in thanks.

"That was great," remarked Tae Boon, "I guess the Force is just in strong in its children as it is in its adults."

"I couldn't agree more, Tae," said an amazed Cham Syndulla. "I suppose it will be fine now, my Wookiee friend?"

Gungi nodded and said, "yes," like a Wookiee.

"I've always heard that Wookiees are supposed to be very good with nature, what with their love and reverence for life," said Zatt.

Gungi barked some words at Zatt.

"Oh, no, Gungi," Zatt said, taken aback, "I couldn't do what you do. My expertise is with technology, not fauna. I have no training in taming or calming wild animals."

Gungi disagreed, and said so to Zatt.

"No, I mean it, Gungi," he said, a little more defensively than he intended, "I'm not a bantha tamer! I can't do such things as control animals, even if I tried."

Gungi raised one furry eyebrow and said something to Zatt that sounded amused.

"Yes, I know that Master Yoda says, 'Do, or do not. There is no try,'" admitted an annoyed Zatt, "but you know what I mean. I'm like Anakin; I'm good with machines, not animals!"

At that moment, there was a sound like a cross between a roar and a hiss. They all looked around in time to see some gutkurrs, reptilian/insectoid predators native to Ryloth, running towards them at speed. They were a good distance away, but they were rapidly coming closer.

"I thought we had taken care of all those creatures!" shouted Boon.

"Apparently we didn't," remarked Syndulla. "Men of Ryloth, defend yourselves from these savage beasts once more!" he shouted to his troops and relief workers.

The Twi'leks and troops prepared their guns and other weapons to protect themselves from the raging gutkurrs. Zatt ignited his lightsaber and stood in front of them. He managed to graze a few while some of the others were killed or injured by the rampaging animals.

To everyone's surprise, Gungi once again did a little animal friendship trick instead of using his lightsaber. He stepped forward and calmed down the gutkurrs, and he did something very similar to what Obi-Wan Kenobi did with some gutkurrs earlier in the Clone Wars. He led them into an alley and ordered the Twi'leks to blast a stone structure above the entrance to trap them, which they did. The gutkurrs were neutralized, but only for now.

Gungi told all of them that while he led them into the trap, he sensed that these gutkurrs were still half-starved from the starvation the Separatists had put them through, and that's why they had attacked them. He also mentioned that the trap would not hold them indefinitely.

"That isn't good," said Syndulla. "We're far from finished cleaning up the damage from the war here, so we can't leave anytime soon."

Gungi said that he had learned enough about Ryloth back at the Jedi Temple to know where to find some healthy food to satisfy the beasts' hunger and make them leave them alone, and he could go for it himself, but someone had to stay behind and keep the gutkurrs as calm as possible. After he said that, he looked pointedly at Zatt.

"Oh, no," he said, "I told you, I can't do it. Why don't I go for the food, and you keep the gutkurrs calm, Gungi? I know a lot about Ryloth too, you know."

Gungi flatly told Zatt that the Nautolan didn't know how to properly hunt the meat that gutkurrs ate, but that Wookiees were accustomed to hunting. Then he told Zatt that he should stop lacking faith in himself to get things done, and do it, because he could.

"Oh, great," muttered Zatt, turning off his lightsaber and walking nervously over to the beasts, "I swear I'm going to get us all killed."

Gungi punched him in the arm as if disciplining him for his lack of trust in himself.

"All right, then," Zatt complained, "I'll do it. But don't blame me if this fails."

Gungi said that if something went wrong, Zatt would be the only one who deserved blame, whether he liked it or not. Then he ordered him to start concentrating so he could go for the food. Zatt grimaced at the Wookiee, but finally did as he was told. Then Gungi ran off to goodness knew where to find meat for the predators.

* * *

Zatt found himself struggling to keep them at bay, as he "knew" would happen. Syndulla and Boon said that he must succeed at this, or else the people of Ryloth would lose two enlightened freedom fighters, and the planet would have less protection from the Separatists and other enemies. He put more power into it, still struggling to maintain it.

But then, one of the smaller gutkurrs, presumably a younger one, slowly edged forward. The other gutkurrs hissed a warning; Zatt couldn't tell whether they were warning the little gutkurr, or him. Zatt became uneasy, thinking he saw failure in the very near future, and moved one hand close to his lightsaber. The youngster, however, didn't attack him. Instead, it came right up to him and nudged him a little, as if it was trying to be friends. The little Nautolan boy was surprised by the amiable nature of this animal, and started to talk to it quietly.

"Hey, are you all right?" he asked it through the Force. "Why are you coming so close to me without attacking me?"

The gutkurr sent out a signal back to him.

"You think that I'm a nice guy?" Zatt blanched. "You want to be my _friend?_ Is that why you're nuzzling me instead of biting me?"

Gutkurrs were not known for being highly intelligent, but he knew a "yes" when he heard it in the Force.

"Well, that's something I've never heard of," he exclaimed, "a gutkurr wanting to be a friend of an off-worlder, and a kid! How much do you like me, exactly?"

The little one made a sound that only tamed gutkurrs made, a whimper. Zatt felt as if he had just gotten his hands on a canine pet. "That's nice," he said, flashing the trademark Nautolan smile. "Do you think you can convince your friends here to give me a chance, too?"

The other gutkurrs slowly quieted, and then stopped, their own hissing and growling. It appeared that the young predator had convinced the others that this child that he was not such a bad guy after all.

"You think I'm nicer even than Gungi, the Wookiee kid who calmed you down first?" Zatt said in continued surprise.

The gutkurrs moved their heads as if they were nodding.

"Well, to spare him his feelings, I won't tell him that, but I really like the compliment."

The gutkurrs gathered around him and sat on the ground, and they remained calm until the return of Gungi, which happened about half an hour later. Gungi prepared to feed them the raw meat of some can-cells he had found, but Zatt offered to do it himself, because he had a "thing" with these animals. Gungi was astonished at Zatt's newly found friendship, but stood aside and let Zatt take charge.

Zatt carefully took the meat, being careful not to get blood on his skin or his clothes, and offered it to the beasts. They ate to their hearts' content, especially the young one that had befriended Zatt. The young gutkurr came up and licked Zatt's hand when he was finished eating.

"Hey," Zatt said, "I think I just made a friend today, and a carnivorous one, too! Look at him, he's acting all nice and tame, even when the Force beast trick isn't working on him!"

Gungi joked that the gutkurr looked like him.

"I'm going to name her Fisti, after Master Fisto!" said Zatt. "I think she'll like that name." Fisti certainly seemed to appreciate it.

"Say, do you think we could take her back to the Temple with us when we're done here on Ryloth?" Zatt asked eagerly.

Gungi didn't see why not, as long as she wasn't still being raised by her mother.

"She told me that she's grown up," said Zatt, "She no longer needs her mother, even at her young age."

Gungi asked Syndulla and Boon about this next.

Syndulla said, "I do not normally approve of people taking gutkurrs as pets, because they are very unpredictable, but if you are sure you and your Jedi Masters can take good care of it, then I'll permit it."

"I'll even help you find a secure but comfortable cage to transport it in," offered Boon.

"Thanks a lot!" said Zatt. "Did you hear that, Fisti? Soon, you're going to have a new home close to me, your new friend! Would you like that?"

Fisti communicated her own interest and excitement.

"I can't wait for Master Yoda to see this!" Zatt said.

Gungi roared if he had learned anything that day, because he had learned about the patience needed to find the food to sate the gutkurrs' hunger.

"Sure, Gungi," said Zatt. "I believe I trust myself and the Force a little more now, because I was able to tame the gutkurrs, but I also learned that trust, along with kindness and patience, can make animals our best friends, and that you, our other friends, and technology don't have to be my only friends."

Gungi cheered for Zatt. Cham Syndulla and Tae Boon let out a cheer of their own. The gutkurrs and the blurrgs seemed enthusiastic, too.

"This is a good day for boys and animals to be alive," Zatt said to himself.

* * *

"_There's a very special bond that people and animals can have with each other, and it's called love. If we care for animals with patience, kindness, and trust, whether they be domestic pets, zoo or sanctuary animals, or wild animals, they can be our best friends in the world."_


	5. Song of Ganodi

**A/N: **The two songs in this chapter are not based much on any real songs; I made them from scratch. And I'm not a very good songwriter, not even at free verse songs, so forgive me if my songs don't sound as good as they should.

* * *

**Episode 5**

**Song of Ganodi**

"_Singing, or doing something else cheerful, can relieve great suffering."_

* * *

It was a dark day for the Jedi Order. Barriss Offee, a Jedi Knight, had been convicted of bombing the Jedi Temple and framing her friend Ahsoka Tano for it. And Ahsoka, who felt betrayed not only by Barriss, but by the Jedi Council too, because they didn't trust her side of the story, had become very upset and had left the Jedi, bound for parts unknown.

The younglings had heard about these unfortunate events, and they couldn't believe that yet another Jedi would betray the Order and the Republic, or even less that another Jedi had left them and might never come back.

"Of all the Jedi who could commit such a crime, I never imagined it would be Barriss," said Katooni, who had taken it quite hard.

Gungi looked sad. So did Byph. They gave their own condolences in their native languages.

Zatt said, "She should've known better than to do that. Master Luminara taught Barriss to rise above such actions with all her might. And what does Barriss do? She ignores that advice!"

"If I had my way," said Petro, "Barriss would be begging for mercy on her knees. As scary as Anakin looked when he was fighting her, I don't blame him for being so fierce."

Ganodi was silent. Master Yoda, who, as usual, was standing nearby, noticed that she felt like she was the unhappiest of all the children.

"Young Ganodi," he said, "Sense something sad deep in your heart, I do. Want to talk about it, do you?"

"This whole thing is crazy!" Ganodi burst out suddenly. "First of all, Barriss was yet another Jedi to betray the Order in the Clone Wars; now she's probably going to die in darkness, with little hope of salvation. And I was even more overcome when I heard that Ahsoka left us, too. She was like a mother to me while we were on Ilum and Florrum and onboard the _Crucible_. Now, I just don't know! Will we ever see her again, Master?" She looked pleadingly at Yoda.

"Think not of after, Ganodi," said Yoda, "Always now, even eternity will be."

Ganodi groaned. "That doesn't help, Master!" she said, frustrated. "I don't even know what that means! Am I going to see Ahsoka again, or not?"

"Peace, young one," said Yoda. "If understand my previous statement, you do not, then remember this, you must. The last line of the Jedi Code: _There is no death, there is the Force._ Even if you do not see her again in this world, see her in the Force, you will one day, unless she turns to darkness like her friend young Offee did.

"And as for your fears of more Jedi becoming corrupt, remember, not all life turns to darkness and evil. Fear more for the darkness within _yourself,_ you should, and that of your brothers and sister in your clan, you should, and not that of those who are already lost." He gave Ganodi a light poke in the chest with his gimer stick to emphasize this. "Always had problems with despair, you have, little one. Must learn to cling to hope more strongly, you must, and soon, for fear, I do, that the worst of the darkness is yet to come."

Ganodi hung her head in unhappy shame and sadness.

"Remember this, the rest of you should, as well," Yoda said to the other children, "Very un-Jedi-like it is, to show aggressive feelings toward another person, young Petro, particularly when that other person is a fellow Jedi. Follow in the aggressive footsteps of impulsive Anakin Skywalker, I do not recommend. Zatt, younger than Barriss you are, and less experienced in the Force, too. To be the judge of her at your age and experience is wrong. Very good and honorable, she was once, and use your voice against her when she did not betray you, you should not. And the rest of you, remember to concentrate on fighting your _own_ darkness, you should also."

Gungi and Byph bowed in acknowledgement. Katooni said, "As the Force wills, Master."

"Fine, then," said Zatt, "But I still think _someone,_ like maybe Master Luminara, should give Barriss a talking-to."

"Yeah," said Petro. "I won't try to avenge Ahsoka or Anakin, but Barriss still deserves some kind of punishment."

"Stop this, you two will!" snapped Yoda, jabbing them both in the ribs with his stick. "Behave yourselves, or discipline you, Master Windu will have to."

This surprised the two boys into behaving. "Yes, Master Yoda."

Yoda nodded. "Now, time for some further studies as Padawans, you have, save Ganodi. An hour off from classes, I shall give you, to overcome your emotions, but no more." And he led the other younglings to their next class.

* * *

Ganodi sat alone in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Life couldn't be less fair to her view of life. Although she took part in the Clone Wars like almost any other Jedi, she didn't care about any battle droids ever built on Geonosis, or any clone troopers ever spawned from Kamino or Coruscant, or any corporate baron or corrupt senator who wanted to profit from the war. Not at that particular time. She only wanted to see peace restored to the galaxy, and for the Jedi Order to be pure and wholly good once again. And people like Barriss, Sora Bulq, Depa Billaba, Quinlan Vos, that hothead Rahm Kota, and Pong Krell were making that very hard.

She sat down beside one of the many fountains in the room and felt the pure, clean water run through her long, thin fingers. If only the whole galaxy could be this pure and good, she thought. And then, suddenly, to her own surprise, she began to sing.

It wasn't any particular song, nor was it based on any particular song. It was something of a free verse song, and it started as a song about the joys of being a simple little child in a happy world.

* * *

_In a galaxy far, far away  
__The people once lived in harmony.  
__They traded freely and with respect,  
__They loved each other without fear.  
__It was a place of peace and joy  
__And humans lived with aliens.  
__No army was there to wage wars unjust,  
__No hunters hunted for their bounty._

* * *

_Oh, what it was, to be a child,  
__Who played her games without fear,  
__Who made some friends with awesome ease  
__And no one wanted her to rob.  
__Remarkable are children sweet  
__With wonderful minds and glowing hearts,  
__And look on things with wonder and delight,  
__Seeing what it could really be like._

* * *

As she sang this, Ganodi slowly realized that she was actually starting to feel stronger in her capacity for hope again, and it occurred to her that she was now smiling instead of frowning. She felt like she could sing an even greater song than that child-like first one. It was as if the words to the (once again free verse) song were coming to her mind unbidden, perhaps from the Force itself. The tinkling water of the fountains seemed to sing along with her.

* * *

_A galaxy wreathed in darkness,  
__The coming storm defies the light.  
__Dark Lords of the Sith return to rule,  
__And we Jedi all must come and fight,  
__But we must not forget what we  
__As keepers of galactic peace  
__Must do to resist the storm of evil,  
__To love all others with all our might._

* * *

_Galactic Republic and CIS  
__Both have beauties that can get along.  
__Coruscant, Kashyyyk, and Alderran,  
__Raxus, Ando, and Umbara alike,  
__Have treasures greater than glittering gold  
__Like life, love, and righteous happiness.  
__And if we can only get along,  
__In perfect balance, the Force will be._

* * *

"_Galactic Republic and CIS," _she began to sing again, and then she noticed another thing had changed. As of lately, the Room of a Thousand Fountains had been somewhat darker than it was normally supposed to be, possibly because of the coming storm of the Sith, according to Master Yoda. But now, it appeared that singing her songs had brought back a feeling of bright, natural light back to the room. She also saw that some Jedi had come and were listening to her song, including swordmaster Cin Drallig, who spent much time in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.

They all let out a cheer of applause, especially the younger Jedi Padawans and Initiates. Ganodi knew then that she had regained her hope for something good to happen to the galaxy in the future. Even if it didn't lie with a lasting peace between the Republic and the Confederacy, which had been a dream of hers for some time, she knew that the Force would provide some sort of happy ending.

She stood up and smiled at her audience. Again, she felt like she could face the galaxy, whether she lived to see the happy ending or not. She politely ran through the crowd to tell Master Yoda and her friends about what had happened to her.

I guess it's true, she thought to herself. A bit of cheerful song and smiling can make a sad person feel a lot better. I hope more people in the Order try it out.

* * *

"_Singing is not necessarily magical, at least not from the literal point of view. But if you feel sad, lonely, down on yourself, or unhappy or even despairing at the state of the world, a little bit or singing, whistling, humming, or even just smiling can make a big difference to your feelings."_


End file.
